250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-60-00-2.3
These Rules and Regulations are required to ensure public health, safety and welfare by preventing the introduction of wildlife diseases, such as CWD, into the State of Rhode Island by persons importing, transporting, or possessing live cervids, cervid carcasses or carcass parts thereof in the State of Rhode Island or by persons feeding or baiting cervids in this State. The Department finds that cervid diseases, are primarily spread by the translocation of live captive cervids, with the potential to introduce diseases to wild cervids as the two (2) often come in contact. Impacts of diseases, such as CWD, can lead to negative impacts to the local white-tailed deer population, the states deer hunting culture, and wildlife management of other game and non-games species. Movement of infected cervid carcasses is also a known risk for introducing CWD prions to new areas. Accordingly, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) and Northeast Association and Fish and Wildlife Agencies (NEAFWA) recommends in part prohibiting all human-assisted movement of live cervids, as well as intact carcasses from CWD endemic areas, to prevent the additional introduction and further spread of this disease. Chronic Wasting Disease may be present in a State/Province and not detected as not all States have a CWD surveillance or monitoring program.
250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-60-00-2.3